Tag: Rugby Union
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Few surprises as the Easterby era kicks off
Well, it doesn’t actually kick off for a couple of weeks yet, but you get my drift. Simon Easterby has officially taken charge of the Irish men’s senior team with Andy Farrell having jumped ship – temporarily at least – to scout for talent for the British And Irish Lions team he will take on…
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Patchy performance won’t cover all the cracks
IRELAND…22 ARGENTINA…19 Dermot Morgan – Live At The Olympia – April 16th 1994: “People’s walks tell an awful lot about them. At Lansdowne Road, the main sports stadium in the country after the Gaelic football and hurling headquarters at Croke Park, you have two different types of walks as both the soccer and rugby internationals…
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The troops may change but the ethos remains the same
France… 17 Ireland… 38 Not all that long ago, while longingly looking at clubs like Kilmacud Crokes and Kilcoo and Ballygunnar and bemoaning the fact that one’s own entity are not at a similar plateau. “Culture” explained a friend of mine with experience of playing and coaching in both GAA. “With them, it’s an in-built…
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Casualties likely to be Cullen’s main concern
Leinster… 43 Stade Francais… 7 Just how far does Leinster’s strength in depth actually run? Is a question I’m sure many of their adversaries have long pondered. Well, unfortunately for Leo Cullen et al, they might be getting a bit closer to finding out. Certainly at fly half anyway. Obviously, the retirement of Johnny Sexton…
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Forgotten man Zebo still has a part to play
Munster… 29 Toulon… 18 There was a time I was bitterly disappointed with Simon Zebo. As a rugby fan first off. Because his decision to go and play his club fare in France meant he was (wrongly) automatically excluded from the Irish setup. Also, mind you, because loyalty is one of the qualities held dearest…
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Plenty of problems but a shortage of solutions
Sport never loses its ability to amaze. No matter how much of it you look at. In fact, maybe the more of it you observe, the more confusing it becomes. How else to explain Manchester United holding Liverpool to a draw? At a time when the form of the two sides was about as polarised…
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What was once a fortress now has swinging saloon doors
MUNSTER… 17 BEYONNE… 17 If there were any positives, let’s get them out of the way first. Which, you suspect, is exactly what Graham Rowntree will be doing when the debrief begins. If he hasn’t got the paint stripper out already. So here goes. Even though it was the French side who put the first…
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Boks deserving winners despite blundering Barnes
South Africa… 12 New Zealand… 11 To a one-eyed fella sitting in a wheelchair thousands of miles away, it was blatantly obvious Ardie Savea had locked onto the ball, so how Wayne Barnes couldn’t see it from a foot away defies logic. Now read on… Furthermore, a squirming, half arsed apology in such a situation…
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They do it however they have to
Leinster… 53 Leicester Tigers… 24 When the Dublin football team were in peak unbeatable mode under Jim Gavin, the manager repeatedly spoke about everyone in the camp ‘trusting the processes’. Watch their matches during that era and you can see it playing out. There was one signal in particular – where the player in possesion…
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World’s best show just why they are
Ireland… 29 England… 16 The phrase ‘Impressionable kids’ is one you often hear in use. Then there’s the fact that it’s said first impressions are lasting ones. Now read on… Andy Farrell’s grandkids obviously copped on fairly quick that his team was better than that of their dad – England fly half Owen. Hence their…